Severing mechanism



June 30, 1953 G. M. BONEBRAKE SEVERING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1949 a 0 J T uw. a

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June 30, 1953 G. M. BONEBRAKE SEVERING MECHANISM Filed July 5, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 30, 1953 G. M. BONEBRAKE 2,643,619

SEVERING MECHANISM Filed July 5, 194 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 30, 1953 G. M. B oNEBR AKE 2,643,619

SEVERING MECHANISM Filed July 5, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 30, 1953 G. M. BONEBRAKE 2,643,619

SEVERING MECHANISM Filed July 5, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 L7 6 7 I June 30, 1953 e. M. BONEBRAKE SEVERING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 5, 1949 Patented June 30, 1953 q SEVERING MECHANISM I I Gay Monroe Bonebrake, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Wm. Wrigley, Jr. Com poration of Delaware Pany, Chicago, 111., a cor- Application July 5, 1949, Serial No. 102,986

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a severing mechanism, and more particularly to the parts, ensemble and relationships of structure embodied in a mechanism suited to use in the severance of individual pieces of like size from a stack of scored sheets or slabs of the material.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a severing mechanism of the type referred to and which embodies two feeding mechanisms driven at related speeds; one of which feeding mechanisms effects an intitial movement of a scored sheet from a stack, and the other of which takes over the feeding of the scored sheet after such initial movement and carries it on to a breaking mechanism;

Another object of my invention is to provide a severing mechanism of the class referred to and in which the scored sheets are successively fed from the bottom of a stack.

My invention has for a further object the provision of a severing mechanism adapted to high speed operation and suited to sudden stopping and starting as effected by an output control.

As another object, the invention comprehends the provision of a hopper-type retainer for stacked sheets or slabs and which has shiftable elements operated in timed sequence to the feeding of the sheets or slabs from the bottom thereof and in a sequence such that single sheets or slabs are released, while the rest of the stack is supported.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a severing mechanism incorporating a unified drive operating through a quick acting clutch which acts positively for starting and stopping the parts simultaneously and in unison; the speeds of the various parts being calculated normally to maintain a level of severed pieces between predetermined limits in an output hopper or stack as determined by a control element which effects operation of the clutch.

It is also within the purview of the design of each of the various parts of my severing mechanism to provide consistent high speed operation without damage to the material being severed and without the necessity of frequent manual adjustments or personal attention, other than that required to keep the mechanism supplied with material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the six sheets of drawings:

Figs. 1 and Z'are respectively frontand rear elevational views of a mechanism embodying a preferred form of my invention;

Fig.3 is an end elevational view, with portions broken away, of the mechanism depicted in Figs. 1 and 2; 7

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front sectional View of a portion of the'mechanism shown in Fig. 3, and wherein the section is taken substantially as indicated by a line @---4 in Fig. 3 and accompanying arrows;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front sectional View, drawn to an enlarged scale, and wherein the section is taken on a line 5-5 of Fig. 3 and in the direction indicated by accompanying arrows;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end sectional view .wherein the section is taken substantially on a line 65 of Fig. 5 and in the direction indicated by accompanying arrows;

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary top sectional views taken substantially on lines ll and 8-8 of Fig. 6, respectively, and in the directions indicated by the arrows; l

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are fragmentary diagrammatic views taken from the front of the illustrated mechanism and showing various sequential stages in the operation of portions of the illustrated mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view depicting a scored slab of material adapted to be severedinto pieces by the indicated mechanism; and

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the mechanism, as depicted in Fig. 11, drawn to a larger scale.

In its more general aspects, the exemplary embodiment of my severing mechanism which is disclosed herein for illustrative purposes includes 'a hopper l5 having a top opening !5 through which stacked and scored slabs or sheets H are inserted into the interior thereof, and through which hopper those slabs or sheets gravitate while being maintained in an orderly stack. From the hopper I5, the scored slabs are fed individually and successively onto a chain-type conveyor mechanism 18 (Figs. 5, 6 and 8), which conveyor mechanism includes pusher block i941, l9b, 20a, 29b, 22a and 22b in spaced relationship to one another for engaging end. surfaces of individual slabs or sheets, as depicted in Figs. 9, l0 and 11, to push those slabs or sheets into engagement with feed rollers 23 .and 2.4. The feed rollers 23 and 24 preferably have finely knurled surfaces and are supported for rotation with.

. ing collars 55 and 51'.

other side of the hopper includes guide strips 58,

the front of the hopper and as shown in Figs. 1,

3 and 6, retaining strips and 12 are secured adjacent the guide strips 48 and 69 and have marginal portions which extend inwardly beyond those guide strips, so as to overlap opposite end portions of the slabs or sheets H.

From the foregoing description of the hopper structure, it-inay beireadily understood that a their axes substantially parallel to the axes of the feed rollers. Also, the severing rollers arespaced from the feed rollers a distance related to the length of the pieces 21 which are to besevered,

and such that a scored line -2'8is between-the-feed and severing rollers when the adjacent pieces are gripped by those rollers. Thesevering rollers are driven at a speed substantially greater than the speed of the feed rollers, whereby severance of adjacent pieces on a scored line is effected when those adjacent :pieces are gripped by .the two pairs of rollers. From the feed rollers, :the pieces are fed into ahopper 29. In the disclosed structure, the conveyor mechanism, feed rollers and severing rollers are driven from :a single prime mover (not shown) through a :clutch 35 and drive shaft :32; the clutch being controlled by means, such as a photoelectric unit 33 through a solenoid 34, so as to maintain the level 'of pieces in the'hopper 29 between preselected limits.

Although the material which is handled and severedby the mechanism might be varied and the sizes of the pieces changed, the "disclosed mechanism is well suited for, andis illustrated in its application to the breaking ofscored' slabs of chewing gum'into sticks. .Eachslab l1, inthe present instance, comprises eight sticksilinearly disposed in side-by-side relationship.

The disclosed hopper 1'5 is topenat :the front, as shown in Fig. 1, 'andhas'a'back plate presente ing a smooth inner surface. At the back, as

' shown in Fig. 2,-thehopper is supported by'a plate 35 through straps 37 and 38secured to that plate and extending upwardly therefrom. A cross strap 39 is secured to the exterior surface of the back plate 35 to reinforce the hopper structure near the top. At the top, upwardly diverging side walls it and 52 extend forwardly from-a top extension 43 on the back plate '35andare braced by angle strips 54 and 45.

Rather than'being :completely closed, the opposite sides of the hopper 15 are defined by spaced guide strips disposed :in aligned relationship with opposed edges facing inwardly of the hopper. As shownin Fig. '6, three guide strips 45, 4'1 and 43 are at one side of the hopper and are secured to the strap 38 by fastening means, such as bolts 49 and '55; the guide strips '46 and ll beingheld in spaced relationship by-spacingcollars 52 and 53, the guide strips '41 and 48 being held in spaced relationship by spacing collars 54 and 55, and the guide strip 46, aswell as the'back plate 35 being spaced from the strap 38 by spac- As shown in Fig. 3, the

59 and 69 in opposed relationship to the guide strips t5, 4? and 48 respectively and secured to the strap 31', by fastening means such as bolts '62 and 63. Inthis instance, the guide strips 58 and 59 are held in spaced relationship by spacing collars 64 and 95, the guide strips 59 and fifl are held in spaced relationship by spacingcollars and-61, and the-guide strip 58, as well as the back plate 35 are spacedrfrom the strap '31 by collars B8 and :69. For retaining the slabs at stack-of slabs or-sheetsmay be'manually guided into the hopper between the side walls 40 and 42 and moved downwardly between the opposed guide strips 46, 41, 3B, 58, 59 and 60 at the opposite sides of the hopper; the guide strips being spaced so that the slabs gravitate freely there- 'between. Forretaining and effecting the selective-release of slabs at the lower end of the hopper,.I haveprovtided opposed gripping fingers 13,

l4, l5 and 76 which are disposed between guide strips 56, 41, 48, 58, 59 and 6D and movably supported at their upper'iends by being secured to shafts "and ?-8, which shafts arejournalled in the strapsBl-and 38 and guide strips 48 and 65, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and .6. :As-showninFig. .5, the-gripping fingers utilized in .the disclosed 3 structure have lower end portions presenting opposed surfaces Hand '80 which aredisposed in obtuse angular relationship with respect to the opposed inner faces of the upper portions of those :fingers; theoppesed faces-of the upper portions being substantially in planes corresponding to the inner'edges of "the guide strips. The surfaces 'l-9-2and.89 ofthe-endportions being offset in the same direction, the lower slabs of the stack in the hopper .are offset relative to one another.

Also, the gripping fingers .being movable about theaxes of the *shafts T! and 18, those fingers may-be caused to grip and tosupport opposite ends'of theslabs 4-1, .as well as to effect selective and timed release-of the ends of the slab.

vi ls-shown in-Eigs-5, 6, 7-and8, the chain-type 'conveyormechanism .IB is beneath and extends across-the lower end'of the hopper i5immediately below the lower ends :of the gripping fingers. This ch-ainetypeconveyonmechanism, in thedisclosed-structurahas two side chains 82 and -83 of similar structure and length supported in parallel relationship by stationary plates 84 and 85, which plates are convexly semi-circular at adjacent ends and have substantially straight andpar-allel edges lying in common planes which extend away from the semi-circular ends. .At their opposite ends, the stationary plates 84 and :85 are concavely curved and-sprockets such as .86 aresecured to ashaft 87 and aligned insubstantially coplanar relationship with the respective plates. Thus, the plates provide inner tracks around which the chains travel when driven by their respective sprockets.

Between the side chains 82 and 83, an inter- -mediate vchairriiii is supported by a plate .89, both ends of which are convexly semi-circular, so that the :chain slides around the periphery thereof; the intermediate plate providing a path like that of the .side chains for the intermediate chain .nected to the chains at their opposite ends and present substantially vertical front pushing surfaces; each of the opposite ends thereof being connected to one ,of the chains, as shown 'inFig.

8. Since the pusher blocks are mounted in pairs between the intermediate chain and the side chains, and each of the pairs is similarly connected to the chains with the pusher blocks in laterally aligned relationship, a description of the mounting of one pair will sufiice for all. As illustrated in Fig. 8, a pin 93 is secured to and projects from one end of the block 19a through the chain 83; the pin being rotatable relative to the chain. In like manner, a. pin 94 is secured to and extends from the pusher block [91) through the chain 82. At the other ends of those pusher blocks, a pin 95 is secured to both of the pusher blocks Ida and H52), and extends through the intermediate chain 38. Thus, the pusher blocks travel in adjacent pairs, and since the offset relationship of the side chains with respect to the intermediate chain is related to and determined by the distance between the pins at the opposite ends of the pusher blocks, those pusher blocks are maintained in level relationship throughout their travel. It may be readily observed that the intermediate chain is driven from the side chains through the pusher blocks and their respective pins, so that the intermediate chain remains in its proper aligned relationship to the side chains.

Between the chains 82, 83 and 88 and the lower ends of the hopper, and in the planes of the stationary plates 84, 85 and 89, guide bars 96, 9'3 and 98 are mounted; those guide bars being of greater height near their ends and being supported like the stationary plates 84, 85 and 89 between the side plate 36 and a side plate E68 by bolts such as [92. Spaced relationship is maintained between the side plates 36 and H30 and between those side plates and stationary plates 84, 85 and 39, as well as between the respective stationary plates by spacers such as H13, H34, m5 and 106 on the bolts such as N12. The guide bars 96, 97 and 93 have substantially straight top edges disposed in coplanar relationship which serve as rails along which the lowermost slab if is slid from the hopper. The pusher blocks, in each instance, extend above the top edges of the guide bars sufficiently to overlie the end of one slab, but not far enough to engage the slab above the lowermost one. The spacing of the pusher blocks is suflicient that one slab H has room for some movement longitudinally of the guide bars between the projecting portions of those pusher blocks.

The feed rollers 23 and 24 are secured to shafts I87 and H38 respectively, which shafts are journailed. at their opposite ends in the plates 36 and ISO. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a sprocket 109, external to the plate 36 and secured to the shaft N18 has a driving connection to the shaft 81 through a drive chain H and a sprocket H2 which is secured to the shaft 87. Also external to the plate 36, a gear H3 is drivingly secured to the shaft 188 and meshes with a gear M4 on a stud shaft H5 which is secured to and projects from the side plate 3%. Another gear I I6 is rotatably mounted on a stud shaft H! which is secured to and projects from the plate 36, and meshes with the gear H4, as well as a gear H8 which is secured to the shaft I01 of the feed roller 23.

With this drive arrangement, the feed rollers are both driven in directions such that they move the slabs away from the conveyor mechanism and in the same direction as they are moved by the pusher blocks of that conveyor mechanism. In the disclosed structure, however, the gear ratios for driving the feed rollers are such that they move a slab'of gum a little faster than it is moved by the pusher blocks of the conveyor mechanism, whereby a slab which has been en and 98.

gaged by the feed rollers is gradually drawn away from the pusher block which moved it into engagement with the feed rollers.

This relationship of speeds has a tendency to avoid difficulties due to the jamming of a slab between the pusher blocks and the feed rollers. In order to effect the movement of a slab by the feed rollers when the slab is engaged by those rollers, they are spaced to firmly grip the slab therebetween and preferably have spiral knurling on the outer surfaces thereof. In the disclosed structure, the feed rollers 2d and 2d have grooves H9 and I therein,

which grooves accommodate the stationary plates as, 85, and is? as well as the guide bars 96, 9

As depicted in Fig. l, a gear H22 is secured to the end of the feed roll r shaft Hi8 outside of the plate ififi and drives the severing roller 26 through a gear lit and a gear I24; the gear I23 being rotatably carried by a stud shaft i255 which is secured to and projects outwardly from the plate Still, and the gear it'd being secured to the end of a shaft E26, which latter shaft is the shaft of the severing roller 26. The adjacent severing roller has a shaft 527 and is driven from the shaft E26 by gears I23 and E29 which are secured to adjacent ends of those shafts, as shown in Fig. 2.

The surfaces of the severin rollers, like those of the feed rollers, have spiral knurling thereon and are spaced so as firmly to grip the end piece of a slab when it is fed thereto. The spacing of the severing rollers from the feed rollers is related to the size of the pieces which are to be severed so that adjacent pieces are gripped by the feed and severing rollers when a scored line on the slab is intermediate those sets of rollers. Also, the speed of the severing rollers, which is established by the driving gears, is materially faster than the speed of the feed rollers, whereby the slab is drawn away from the adjacent piece and severed therefrom upon beig grippedby the severing rollers.

As in the instance of the feed rollers, the severing rollers 25 and 2%; have axially spaced peripheral grooves its and i32 therein which are aligned with the stationary plates '34, 35 and 89. These grooves, in this instance, however, not only accommodate those stationary plates which are so shaped as to provide downwardly and outwardly projecting fingers i33 adjacent the lower severing roller, but also accommodate movably deflecting fingers 534 adjacent the upper severing roller. The deflecting fingers, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, are secured to a shaft is journalled in bearings at the tops of the plates 36 and Hit and are biased downwardly'toward the grooves of the severing roller by springs L96. At their outer ends, the ringers ltd have projecting curved portions 33? which normally extend downwardly into the path of the pieces as they are ejected from the severin rollers, so that the fingers are deflected upwardly against the spring force by each piece, and each piece is deflected downwardly into the hopper 29.

The hopper 29, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is supported by the plates 36 and its through side brackets i353 and 139 which are secured to those plates. Preferably, the hopper has studs Mill and M2 7 projecting outwardly therefrom in aligned relationship and journalled in the side brackets so that the hopper is swingable from its normal vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2.

535, which shaft pre ame At the top, the hopper is and plates as and mo respectively have aligned apertures I53 and M4 therein, through which a beam of light is pro-- which extends from the clutch 39 tothe shaft W8. This avoids any difficulty due to the slight "misalignment of the parts. The clutch 13% through which the mechanism is driven, :is preferably of a quick acting and relatively positive 'overrunning'typeand hasa-coil spring i I 41 biasing the clutched parts to their driving positions; the springextending around a hub .l idsecured to the shaft 32 and having one end anchored-to-a'olutch :housing plate 14-9 and its other-end anchored to thehub.

A pluralityof studs ie project-outwardly in a direction parallel to the shaft 32 from the clutch housing plate M9 and are disposed at equally spaced positionsaround the axis of the shaft 32. A latch detent 1'52 is supported for swinging movement about a shaft 153 and has a notched end portion 2 5 3 which normally tends to gravitate to a position'of abutment with one of the studs 150. The movable end of the latchdetent-is connected to an armature I55 of the solenoid 34 through a link 458. Driving force for the mechanism is supplied :through the clutch from a convenient source such as an electric motor (not shown). When the solenoid is energized as a result of the level of the pieces of gum in the hopper 29 being below the :light apertures, the driving force is transmitted to the breaking mechanism from the source. On the otherhand, when the stack in the hopper 29 extends above the predetermined level, thesolenoid is deenergized and the latch-detent 152 falls to a position of abutment with cneof theprojecting studs $50. This interrupts the supply of driving power to the breaking mechanism, and-efiects a stoppage thereof for-a short interval of time-until the level the hopper 2.9 .falls. :It is particularly desirable that the-actio-n of the clutch :shall bezquick and positive, so that the breaking mechanism is started and stopped definitely, rather than merely changing speed or lagging in its operation, as the result of sluggish clutch response.

For actuating the fingers 13, i4, i5 and 16 .at the opposite sides of the main hopper 1-5 in the manner to effect the release-of the bottom slabs from that hopper sequentially andin timed relaticnship to the movements of-the conveyor -mechanism 58, I have provided a cam [:51 (-Fig. 2-) on the shaft 8?, external to the plate 36. .Ihiscam coacts with afollowing roller, 1-58 carried by a linkage which includes lever arms 59 and I60 securedat their upper ends to the shafts H and 18 which carry the fingers I3, 14, T5 and 16, and are connected at their lower ends by across link I62 upon which the roller I58 is mounted. A tension spring N53 has one end-connected to-the lever arm K59 and its otherend anchored to the plate 36 at'positions such that it biases the *roller I58 into engagement with the cam 151. .It is to be noted that in the disclosed structure the angular positions .of the lever arms 15,9 :and +60 :are

=difierent with respect to the positions of the fingers'13,-i l, T5 and T5,.sothat the angular moveimentsofthe lever arms which is effected by the cam causes different amounts'of angular move- :ment of the fingers at different parts of their movement cycles.

:ASl-ShOWIl in Figs. 5 and '7, the relative angular positions between the lever arms Hi9 and E60 and .therfin'gerswhich are connected thereto are adjustable by set screws H54 and N55. The lever "arms 159 and 169 respectively have cross arms 46.6 and it! projecting therefrom in directions lateral to thesides of the hopper. The set screws are located relative to those cross arms bymeans such as .nuts 45B and 1-69 on opposite sides of the cross .arms and are threaded into cross pins H0 and 1 i2 on the respective fingers.

Figs. "9, '10, 11 and 13 .are provided to illustrate varioussequential steps in the operation of the feeding and severing mechanism, including the timing of themovements of the various parts. As shown in Fig. ,9, the pusher block 2811 hasjust .engaged the end of a slab at the bottom of the :hopper IS; the preceding slab having passed from the conveyor mechanism to the control of the feed rollers .23 and 2A. As the lowermost slab is moved along and into the feed rollers 23 and Y24, the fingers i4 and I6 swing to the right :as viewed in Fig. 10 with the finger M having somewhat greater angular movement than the finger 16, so that the ends of the slab adjacent the finger i i are released, allowing the one end of the neat slab to drop down to the surfaces of the guide bars 96, -91 and 98. During continued movement -of the lowermost slab, the fingers "I4 and 1% move back to the left in timed relationship to the progress of the slab, and so as to move the finger 7-6 away from the adjacent ends of the slabs, a's-shown in Fig. 13, just a the preceding slab reaches those ends of the slabs above, whereby the forward ends of the upper slabs 'drop down-as soon as the preceding slab is out of the way. At this point, the sequence proceeds from the position depicted in Fig. 9. It be observed that the lowermost slab moves away from the pusher block after the feed rolls have gripped it. It may also be observed that the upper slabs of the stack are supported in their respectivepositions until released during the reciprocating movements of the fingers i3, 14, i5

and 76.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without'departing from the spirit of the invention, and Irdo not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the "appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I :claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. .A mechanism for severing scored sheets or "slabs "of material into pieces of predetermined size and comprising, in combination, a hopper having -a top opening for receiving a stack of scored sheet material, said hopper being of a :size and .disposition such that said material is normally maintained in an orderly stack and tends to gravitate therethrough, means for releasing one sheet of material at a time from the bottom of the hopper, a-chain-type feeding mechanism 'for receiving the sheets of material from the hopper, said mechanism having one endjustbeyondone end of the hopper, a pair of :feed rollers .looated .just beyond .said one end of the chain-type feeding mechanism for receiving and gripping each sheet of material from the chain-type feeding mechanism, a second pair of rollers on the opposite side of the feed rollers from the chain-type-feeding mechanism and dis posed in predetermined spaced relationship to the feed rollers to grip the sheet materialas. it.

is fed thereto by the latter mentioned rollers,

and a driving mechanism for drivingithe chains type feeding mechanism, said feed rollers and; the second pair of rollers at different and related surface speeds, said feed-rollers having a surface speed somewhat greater thanthatof the chain-type feeding mechanism so as .to effect movement of each gripped sheet of material relative to the chain-type feeding mechanism in the direction of travel of the sheet, the surface speed of thesecond pair of rollers being materially faster than that of the feed rollers so that the material is severed into pieces between the pairs of rollers.

2. In a mechanism for severing scored sheets or slabs of material into pieces of predetermined size, the combination .comprising a chain-type feeding mechanism for receiving the sheets of material and having pushing elements projecting laterally therefrom in spaced relationship to one another for insuring movement of the sheets, a pair of feed rollers adjacent one end of the chaintype feeding mechanism for receiving and gripping each sheet of material from the chaintype feeding mechanism, a second pair of rollers on the opposite side of the feed rollers from the chain-type feeding mechanism and disposed in predetermined spaced relationship to the feed rollers to grip the sheet material as itis fed thereto by the latter mentioned rollers, a driving or slabs as defined in claim 2, said driving mechanism including a clutch, and means for effecting substantially instantaneous action of the clutch for regulating the output of said second pair of rollers.

4. In a mechanism for severing scored sheets or slabs of material into pieces, the combinationcomprising stationary retaining members in spaced and opposed relationship for receiving a stack of slabs therebetween, end retaining members for the slabshingedly-connected at their upper ends to the stationary members for swinging movements in directions parallel to the planes of the stationary members, said end retaining members having lower end portions presenting opposed surfaces angularly offset in one direction in the'plane of said movements, so that the lower sheets of the stack are successively oifset from one another, and means for controlling the positions of the end retaining members so that they normally grip the lower sheets of the stack therebetween and successively release the gripped ends of the bottom sheet of the stack by successive movements of the end retaining members away from the ends ofsaid sheets.

5. Ina mechanism for severing scored sheets or slabs of material into pieces, as defined in claim 4, said means for controlling the positions of the end retaining members including a linkage connecting the end retaining members, and cam means for actuating the linkage.

6. In a mechanism for severing scored sheets or slabs of material into pieces as defined in claim 5, the combination being further characterized by means for adjusting-thepositions of the end retaining members relative to said linkage.

7'. In a mechanism for severing scored sheets or slabs of material into pieces, the combination comprising first and second pairs of material grippingrollers disposed in parallel relationship and'sep'arated a distance related to the size of the pieces being severed, means for driving both pairs of rollers with the second pair 'of rollers being driven faster than the first pair, one of the rollers of the second pair having a peripheral groove therein, a deflecting finger fitting into said. groove andmounted for swinging movement toward and from the groove, saidfinger extending outwardly in a direction away from the first pair of rollers,

and a spring biasing the finger toward said one of the rollers of the second pair.

8. A mechanism for severing scored sheets or slabs of material into, pieces of predetermined directly below the hopper for receiving the sheets.

of material from the hopper, said chain-type feeding mechanism being in the form of a loop one end of which is located just beyond one end of thehopper, a pair of feed rollers located just beyond said one end of the loop for receiving and gripping each sheet of material from the chaintype feeding mechanism, a second pair of rollers on the opposite side of the feed rollers from the chain-type feeding mechanism and disposed in predetermined spaced relationship to the feed rollers to grip the sheet material as it is fed thereto by the latter mentioned rollers, and a driving mechanism for 'driving'the chain-type feeding mechanism, said feed rollers and the second pair of rollers at related speeds, the speed of the second pair of rollers being materially faster than that of the feed rollers so that the material is severed into pieces between the pair of rollers, said means for releasing one sheet of material at a time from the bottom of the hopper including end wall members suspended for swinging movement relative to the rest of the wall members having corresponding and opposed inner end surface portions disposed in obtuse angular relationship to the upper portions thereof, so that the sheets at the lower portion of the stack are obliquely staggered, and means actuated by said driving mechanism for moving the end wall members alternately from side to side so as to release one end of one sheet at a time in timed relationship to the movements of the chain-type feeding mechanism. 7 v

9. A mechanism for severing scored sheets or slabs of material into pieces of predetermined size and comprising, in combination, a hopper having a top opemng for receiving a stack of scored sheet material, said hopper being of a from thebottom hopper, said end i 113'; size and disposition such that said material is normally maintained in an orderly stack and tends to gravitate therethrough, means for-"re leasing one sheet of material at a time from the bottom of the hopper, a chain-type feeding mechanism for receiving the sheets ofmaterial from the hopper, a pair of'feedrollers adjacent one end of the hopper. forreceiving. and. gripping each sheet of material fromzthe chain-type feeding mechanism, a-second pair ofrollers on the opposite side of the feed rollers. from the chaintype feeding mechanism and.- disposed in predetermined spaced relationship to the feed rollers to grip the sheet material as it is fedthereto by the latter mentioned rollers, and a driving'mechanisrn for driving the chain-type feeding mechanism, said feed rollers and the second pair. of rollers at related speeds, the speed of the second pair of rollers beingmaterially faster than that of the feed rollers so that the material i'ssevered into pieces between the pairs of rollers, said chain-type feeding mechanism including chain loops overlapping and displaced from one another. in the direction of travel and'being supported by stationary plates and driven by sprockets, said chain loops having parallel portions, extending beneath the hopper and ends beneathand directly beyond saidone end of the hopper adjacent the feed rollers; pusher blocks carried in spaced.

relationship between the chains and having each of their opposite ends pivotally connected to one of the chains, and said chains. being so.

relatively disposed that the pusher blocks retain level positions throughout their paths. of. movement.

-. A mechanism forsevering scored sheets or slabs of material into pieces of predetermined.

size and comprising, in combination, a hopper I having a top opening for receiving. a stack of.

scored sheet material, said'hopper being, of a size and disposition such that said material. is normally maintained in an orderly stack and tends to gravitate therethrough, means for releasing one sheet of material at a time from the bottom of the hopper, a chain-type feeding mechanism for re.- ceiving the sheets of material from the hopper, a

pair of feed rollers adjacent one end. of. the hopper for receiving and gripping each. sheet of material from the chain-type feedingmechanisnra second pair of rollers on the opposite side of the} feed rollers from the chain-type feeding mechanism and disposed in predetermined spacedirelationshipto the feed rollers to grip the sheet ma.- terialas it is fed thereto by the latter mentioned rollers, and a driving-mechanism for driving the chain-type feeding mechanism, said feed rollers. and the second pair of rollers at related speeds, the speed of the second pair of rollers'being materially faster than that of the feed rollers so that the material is severed into pieces between.

the pairs of rollers, said chain-type feeding mechanism including parallel traveling chain. loops displaced from one another in the direction of travel and extending beneath the hopper, said chain loops having-- ends beneath and directly beyond said one end of the hopperadjacent the, feed rollers, said chain loops having pusher blocks. connected thereto and presenting; end faces projecting outwardly of the chain at positions separateda. distance greater than the length of asheet.

11.. A mechanism for severing scored'sheets or slabs of material into pieces of predetermined size. and: comprising, in combination, a hopper tends to gravitate therethrough, means for re-' 7 leasing one sheet of material at a time from'thebottom of the hopper, a: chain-type feeding mechanism for' receiving the sheets of materi'al from the hopper, said mechanism having one end just beyondoneend of'the-hopper; a pair offeed rollers located just beyondsaid one end of the chain-type feeding mechanism for receiving and gripping each sheet of material from thechain-type feeding mechanism, a second pair of rollers on the opposite side of the feedrollers from the chain-typefeeding mechanism and disposed inpredetermined spaced relationship to the feed rollersto grip the sheetmaterial as it is fed thereto by thelattermentioned rollers;

' and a driving mechanism for drivingthecha-intype feeding mechanism, said feed rollersand thesecond pair of-rollers'at related speeds, the speed of the second pair ofrollers being materially faster than that of the feed rollers so that the material is severed into pieces between the pairs of rollers, said driving mechanism including a clutch for cont-rolling: the driving connection toboth pairs of rollers and the chain-type feeding mechanism, andmeans responsive to-theoutput of pieces from the-second pairof rollers forefiecting engagement and disengagement of the-clutch- 12. A mechanism for severing scored sheets orslabs of material into pieces of predetermined size and comprising, in combination, a hopper having a top opening for receiving;- a stack of scored sheet material; said hopper being of a size and disposition suchthat said material is normally maintained in an orderly stack and tends to gravitate therethrough, means for releasing one sheet of material at a time from the bottom. of the-hopper, a chain-type feeding mechanismbelowthe hopper for receivingthe sheets of material from the hopper, said mechanism havingone end-I adjacent one end of the hopper, a pair of feed rollers adjacent said one endof the hopper for receiving and gripping each sheet of material while-being; delivered from said one end of the feeding mechanism, a second pair of rollers on the opposite side of the feed rollers from the chain-type feeding mechanism and disposed in predetermined spaced relationship to, the feed rollers to grip thesheet material as it is fed theretoby the latter mentioned rollers, and a a driving mechanism for driving the chain-type feeding mechanism, said feedrollersand the second pair of rollers at related speeds, the speedof the second pair of rollers being-materially faster thanthat' of the feed rollers so that thematerial is severed-into pieces between the pairs of rollers, the chain-type feeding conveyor including elements for pushingeach sheet from the bottom of the hopper, and the surface speed of saidfeed. rollersslightly exceeding; the speed. ofv movement. ofsaid elements, so that the sheets are drawn away from-the: elements when moved by, thefeed rollers.

13. A mechanism for severing scored sheets or slabs ofmaterial into pieces of predetermined size and comprising, in combination, a. hopper having a top opening for, receiving a stack of. scored sheet material, said hopper being of asize and disposition such that said material. is normally maintained in an orderly stack andtendsto gravitate therethrough', means for releasing one sheet of material at a time from the bottom of the hopper, a chain-type feeding mechanism for receiving the sheets of material from the hopper, said mechanism having one end just beyond one end of the hopper, a pair of feed rollers located just beyond said one end of the chaintype feeding mechanism for receiving and gripping each sheet of material from the chain-type feeding mechanism, a second pair of rollers onthe opposite side of the feed rollers from the chain-type feeding mechanism and disposed in predetermined spaced relationship to the feed rollers to grip the sheet material as it is fed thereto by the latter mentioned rollers, a driving mechanism for driving the chain-type feeding mechanism, said feedrollers and the second pair of rollers at related speeds, the speed of the second pair of rollers being materially faster than that of the feed rollers so that the material is severed into pieces between the pairs of rollers, and spring biased fingers adjacent the second pair of rollers for deflecting the pieces downwardly as those pieces leave the second pair of rollers.

14. In a mechanism for severing scored sheets or slabs of material into pieces, the combination comprising a hopper having a top opening for receiving a stack of scored sheet material, said hopper being of a size and disposition such that said material is normally maintained in an orderly stack and tends to gravitate therethrough, means for releasing one sheet of material at a time from the bottom of the hopper, and a chain-type feeding mechanism for receiving the sheets of material from the hopper and having pushing elements thereon in spaced relationship for pushing the sheets away from the bottom of the hopper, said chain-type feeding mechanismincludin chains supported by means including stationary plates having opposed edges along which the chains move in substantially parallel planes, the plates also having said opposed edges in common planes and being disposed in staggered relationship longitudinally of said edges, and said pusher elements having their opposite ends connected at selected positions to different ones of the chains so that they retain substantially level positions throughout their paths of movement.

' GAY MONROE BONEBRAKE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 122,602 Gunther Jan. 9, 1872 936,026 Palmowsky Oct. 5, 1909 965,598 Price July 26, 1910- 1,40l,268 Manischewitz Dec. 27, 1921 1,413,201 Tingleaf Apr. 18, 1922 1,695,272 Christian Dec. 18, 1928 1,765,990 Melville Jan. 24, 1930 2,251,172 Smith et al July 29, 1941 2,453,805 Melhorn Nov. 16, 1948 2,555,916 Clark June 5, 1951 

